enock



March 8, 1932. A G, ENOQK 1,848,609

CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed March 19, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l Figj4.

lNVENTOR March s, 1932. A, G. ENOCK 1,848,609

CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed March 19, 1930 3 SheecS--Shee'fI 2 Fig. 2.

INVENTR.

March 8, 1932. u A, G, ENOCK 1,848,609

CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed March 19, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 8, 1932 matte ARTHUR G'UY `ENOCK, OF WEMBLEY PARK, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO BUR'LECTAS LIMITED; 'OF LONDON, ENGLAND CONVEYING APPARATUS Application led March 19, 1930, Serial No.

This invention relates to conveyor 'appaf ratus more particularly applicable vfor moving or handling crates of bottles in a continuous stream by transferringthem from one line of conveyor to another on the same or on different levels Where space Will not permit of a number of operations being carried out by one long line of conveyors.

'The object of the invention is to provide lo transfer or cross over mechanism whereby the crates in succession can be moved at an angle from one line of conveyor to another and which Will continue to 'function uninterruptedly in a forward direction even when the l crates or containers have been arrested or prevented continuing their forward travel.

The apparatus comprises a series of rotating rollers to receive the crates, a second series of rollers (either parallel to or at an u inclination to the first) a transverse conveyor chain or lifting Ymechanism to transfer the crate from one set of rollers to the other, a

.second conveyor chain to re-start the crates f and mechanism to be engaged by each crate z5 inA succession. by which the transfer and restarting mechanism is set'in motion.

The invention Will be fully described With reference to the accompanying drawings:-

Fig. l is a side elevation partly in section.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation. i

Fig. 3 is a plan.

Fig. l is a modified form of push plate.

5 is a diagram of roller drive.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation (part in section) of modified construction.

7 is an end elevation Fig. 8 is a plan.

rlhe apparatus is constructed with two sets of roller conveyors in parallel lines in which the rollers comprise shafts or spindles A driven' from one end by a chain a passing round sproclet Wheels a1 at either end and drivingr each alternate spindle A in the reverse direction (see Fig. 5) by passing over lthe top of one spindle A and under adjacent spindles. rEhe spindles are fitted with fixed collars 0.2 and loose collars cato engage the crates. The fixed collars a2 on one end of one spindle A alternate With the loose collars as on the saine end of adjacent spindles and the f partly 1n section.

437,180, anfd -in Great Britain April 2, 1929.

loose collars a3 on the other end similarly alternate with the fixed collars a2 on the same ends of adjacent spindles. The alternating of the iixed and loose collars in each set isso that the tivo sets of 'rollers Will carry the crates in reverse directions as indicated by arrows. T he rollers instead of being in parallel sets may be so set as to direct or convey the crates in any desired direction either in the same level or to different levels in Which case the rollers of each set may be independently driven.

A transverse or cross over mechanism is fitted at one end of the apparatus to transfer the crates from the first set of conveyor rollers to the second set.

ln the form shovvn in Figs. 1 to 4 a conveyor band or chain B is mounted on sprocket Wheels Z) at a level above the crates to which an intermittent motion is given to move each crate in succession across from one set of conveyor rollers to the other set. A second conveyor band or chain C above the second set of conveyor rollers re-starts the crates in the reverse direct-ion. A dead plate C1 on a level with the second'set of rollers receives each cratel as it is transferred. The conveyor chain B carries a depending roller b1 which engages the top edge of the crate and the conveyor chain C a corresponding roller c. The conveyor chains B and C are driven by a clutch D on the continuously rotating shaft (Z the clutch member Z1 being slidable on a key on the shaft l and rotates with it and the other clutch member Z2 and bevel Wheel Z3 loose on the shaft. The bevel gears drive the sha-ft (Z4. and the conveyor chains B and .C7 the latter through a driving chain c1. Thus when the clutch members are in engagement the t-vvo conveyor chains are in motion. T he two rollers b and c respectively on the chains Band C are so set relatively to one another than when the roller has moved a crate across, the roller c engages it and restarts it in the other direction. The clutch member d1 is thrown into gear by the action or movement of a push plate E (or El Fig. Il) against which each crate comes into contact at the end of its traverse and forces or pushes it back. The push plate E connects with'the clutch member d1 through a bell crank lever c1 a connecting rod e2, a lever c3 on the vertical shaft et to which it imparts a the reverse direction to the lever e3 thereby corresponding leverV f1 is fast uponY itrthe two levers f and f1 being coupled'respectively to the plunger and housing of a spring bu'er f2 to move synchronously. yShould a j am of kcrates occur and a crate l remain pressed against the press plate E preventing the re- Y verse rotation of the shaft e* and causingthe clutchDlto remain engaged, the' action of the incline or ram F on the lever 7 is to move the plunger andy compress the spring of the buffer f2 without moving` the lever f1. l

A guide rail b2 serves as a guide for the crate to retain 'the crate squarefin position while sliding across and additionalfrollers 3 on the chain" Bbehind the 'roller b1 assistV in guiding Vthe crate. n p

VThe rollers A2 may be driven separately by i Y a chain Aand at a higher speed than the rollers A as shownin Fig. 5) to carry the Y crate forward clear of the next following crate to allow of the rfree transverseA movement of the crate. All the` rollers A2 are driven in the same direction, gear'wheels a, rotated 'by the chain A3,`being provided to gear with alternate rollers for this purpose.

Inthe form lshown'in Figs. 6 to 8 a carriage G is mounted on rails g at a -levelV above the crates vto which an intermittent to and fro movement is given to raise the crates and transfer each in succession across from one set of conveyor rollers to the other set which are constantly rotating in a reverse direction. rlhe carriage G carries twoV rocking arms VH with lugs'l 7L adapted to enter the hand holes of the` brates. The arms H are keyed ou shaftsH to which are also keyed two levers k1 by which the arms H are rocked by cams K on" a shaftk at right 'angles to the shafts H1 bringing the lugs 7L into the hand holes in thev crate and by reason ofthe inclined shape of thelugs slightly raising' the crate off the rollers. The camshaft 7n is connected `-to a push plate 'E by a bell `crank leverve connecting rod e1 andlever 701 by4 which a partial rotationis given to the K and Y camshaft 7e by each crate as itV comes into Vcontact with the push plate E.y The connectingfrcdf'e'1 also `'raises the rod c2 to engagea clutch mechanismV (not shown) similar to that described with reference to Figsxlto il.

The camshaft also carries ajgearf'wheel MV at one end and a gear wheel vM1 at the other end which mesh alternately with the gear wheels m and m1 Vwhich are rotated in opposite directions when the clutch mechanism is thrown into gear. A rack N is alhxed to the carriage G with which'a rack wheel a engages and by which the carriage' carrying the crate is moved across from one side to the other. In operation the crate contacts with the push plate E rocks thebell crankje raises the connecting Vrods e1 and e2, rocks the cam shaft ,laV and by the cam K bring the arms H intoposition in the hand holes of the crate, At the same time the rod e2 engages the clutch; mechanism and setsV in motion the gear wheels m,rack wheel a and gear wheel m1. The gear wheel m meshing with wheel N lfurther rotates thecam shaft 7c and'cams K raising the crate toa higher level and the rack wheel n traverses the carriage'Gr across until the wheel M1 engages the wheelrm1 which rotating in the opposite direction rotates the cam shaft and cams K torlower the crate and withdraw the arms H therefrom at the `same time permitting the return of the push plate E and'disengaging the clutch mechanism. The carriage G is returned to lift another crate by a weight or spring or other suitable reversing m-otion notv shown. The-fcratesby this crossover mechanism may be conveyed from one line of conveyors to another line ofconveycrs either horizontal, inclined upwards or inclined downwards or from one chamber to another as required in British specilication llo. 270882, Vdated May 19, 1926, or from oneV machine to another such as washing, filling, capping machines.' Although the'v present invention is primarily intended for handling crates or containers or bottles, it is not confined to 4those articles but 'canj be applied for conveying other objects and packages of any character, from one line of conveyors to another at any angle thereto. y Y

It may beapplied to any 'conveying purposes and it has the great advantage that the Vload on the conveyors is constantly on the move so'thatintermittent stopping and starting of the load with its extra strains is obviated while at .the same time the yintermittent motion at the crossovers is provided for without the need for synchronized mo-V tions Vthroughout and without danger from Y jamming. l

This inventionl enables one part ofthe surfaceof a conveyorjto be moved at a different speed from other parts so that the objects travelled may move towards or away from each other or may beY caused to travel jcloseKV together orlto'push each other in apredetermlnedimanner.

V What I'claim as my inventionV andidesire ond conveyor chain to restart the crates and mechanism to be engaged by each crate in succession by which the transverse and restarting mechanism is set in motion.

2. Conveyor apparatus to transfer crates or other articles from one line'of conveyor to another comprising conveying spindles` mechanism for driving each alternate spindle in the reverse direction, fast and loose collars on the spindles to allow alternate collars to be rotated in the reverse direction to the spindle, a transverseconveyor chain, a second conveyor chain to restart the crates on the second lineof conveyor, and a push plate with which the crate engages to set in motion the transverse mechanism.

3. Conveyor apparatus to transfer crates or other articles from one line of conveyor to another comprising conveying spindles, mechanism for driving each alternate spindle inthe reverse direction, fast and loose collars on the spindles to allow alternate collars to be rotated in the reverse direction to the spindle, a dead plate to receive the crate from the first line of conveyor a transverse conveyor chain, a second conveyor chain to restart the crates, and a push plate with which the crate engages to set in motion the transverse mechanism.

l. Conveyor apparatus to transfer crates or other articles from one line of conveyor to another comprising conveying spindles, mechanism for driving each alternate spindle in the reverse direction, fast and loose collars on the spindles to allow alternate collars to be rotated in the reverse direction to the spindle, a dead plate to receive the crate Yfrom the first line of conveyor, a transverse conveyor chain, and a second conveyor to restart the crates on the second line of conveyor, clutch mechanism to intermittently operate the transverse conveyor, a push plate with which the crates engage in succession and levers and rods connected therewith by which the clutch members are thrown into and out of engagement.

5. Conveyor apparatus to transfer crates or other articles from one line of conveyor to another comprising conveying spindles, mechanism for driving each alternate spindle in the reverse direction, fast and loose collars on the spindles to allow alternate collars to be rotated in the reverse direction to the spindle,

a dead plate to receive the crate from the first line of conveyor, a transverse conveyor chain and a second conveyor to restart the crates on the second line of conveyor, clutch mechanism to intermittently operate the transverse conveyor, a push plate with which the crates engage in succession, a bell crank lever and connecting rod moved thereby, a vertical shaft and forked lever by which one clutch member is moved into and out of contact with the other, a ram on the transverse conveyor chain and a lever on the upright shaft with which it periodically engages to throw the clutch member out of engagement.

6. Conveyor apparatus to transfer crates or other articles from one line of conveyor to another comprising conveying spindles, mechanism for driving each alternate spindle in the reverse direction, fast and loose collars on the spindles to allow alternate collars to be rotated in the reverse direction to the spindle, a dead plate to receive the crate from the first line of conveyor, a transverse conveyor chain, and a second conveyor to restart the crates on the second line of conveyor, clutch mechanism to intermittently operate the transverse conveyor, a push plate with which the crates engage in succession, a bell crank lever and connecting rod moved thereby, a vertical shaft and forked lever by which one clutch member is moved into and out of contact with the other, a ram on the transverse conveyor chain and a lever on the upright shaft with which it periodically engages to throw the clutch member out of engagement and a spring buffer to prevent damage to the mechanism should a blockage occur. A

ln testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of March, 1930.

ARTHUR GUY ENOCK. 

